Winnebago Forest Preserve to teach ecological restoration

Sunday

ROCKFORD — The Winnebago County Forest Preserve District must chop down trees, burn brush and remove debris to restore and maintain the area’s natural landscape.

But it’s often tough to explain this work to residents, said Jamie Johannsen, director of marketing and community relations for the Forest Preserve.

Every year, the district receives phone calls and emails from individuals unaware of what it takes to restore the region’s green space.

“I often compare it to when people go to a play and see the finished production. It’s beautiful and they applaud it but they do not have any insight into the behind-the-scenes work that has gone into creating that beautiful result,” Johannsen said. “The same is true when people visit and see the robust prairie.”

That’s why the district is hosting an open house from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, at its headquarters, 5500 Northrock Drive in Rockford. Community members will be able to learn about the ecological restoration program and meet staff.

While there aren’t drastic changes happening to a single park, the staff wants community members to be aware of the work that will be done in their area. Here’s an overview:

Prairie restoration: More than 70 acres of county land will be restored back to their prairie state this summer, Natural Resource Manager Mike Groves said.

Staff will clear and kill off brush before planting seed. Groves said about 70 percent of the county was designated prairie land before people began developing the region.

Exotic brush removal: Staff will remove exotic brush while completing other projects to get rid of plants threatening the area’s ecosystem.

Plants like European buckthorn, honeysuckle and Siberian elms take over forest floors meant to be populated by native plants. They disperse their seeds and eventually choke out species that belong in the region. They make the area less diverse.

“For a lot of these animal species, that kind of habitat isn’t good for them. They need the diversity,” Groves said. “We would lose a lot of our animal and bird species if we let our invasive species take over.”

Controlled burns: Groves expects the district to burn 1,200 acres in the county to control large acres of land populated by invasive species.

It’s a less time-consuming method than mowing but still achieves the games goal: promoting native vegetation, Groves said. Staff watches the wind and level of fires while burning to ensure neither smoke nor flames affect residents.

Jennifer Wheeler: 815-987-1354; jwheeler@rrstar.com; @jenmwheeler

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